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1/8" Dado on a TS

11-27-2013, 08:43 PM

Any ideas on how to do this. My dado set starts at 1/4". I did try with my regular blade and it is under 1/8" - not by much but enough to not allow me to do what I want.

I need to make a groove along the sides for some drawers I'm making which will allow the divider supports selected for the project to slot into. I got the divider supports and I did try with the saw blade groove but it is just slightly undersized preventing the supports from slotting in. Due to the very small size difference between the saw blade and 1/8" I don't want to try two passes by moving the fence - if the slot ends up too big the divider support won't sit snugly.

Comment

"When we build let us think we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone. Let it be such work that our descendants will thank us for, and let us think, as we lay stone upon stone, that a time is to come when these stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say, as they look upon the labor and wrought substance of them, "See! This our fathers did for us."
John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

Comment

I had a 7 1/4 blade that was a lower cost construction blade with the wide carbide teeth, and was right at 1/8" I would go shopping and take a measure with you, and just buy a saw blade, it does not need to an expensive blade and if it is 7 1/4 you can use it in the "skil type saw"

or if you have thin kerf blades put two of them together and if needed use a shim

Push sticks/blocks Save Fingers
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Comment

Most of the blades that I've seen lately are the "thin-kerf" variety. If you can find a regular blade (non thin-kerf), they are usually right at 1/8 inch.

However, making a couple of passes with your current blade and using some kind of shim (as others have suggested) works great and doesn't bite into your budget. I also think it is the most efficient method.

I have used the router for this kind of thing, but prefer to first cut with the table saw in order to remove some stock and diminish the stress on the router bit. 1/8-inch straight bit on the router doesn't take a lot of stress before it is damaged/broken. Go too slow and it burns; too fast, it snaps. Clearing a path first, helps tremendously.

I've also found using a slot-cutter on the router table to good also. (If you have that capability.) If you need to cut deep, you shuold make a couple of passes though.

Comment

A full kerf ts blade should cut an 1/8 inch dado. If you have a stacked dado set, you could try just one of the outside cutter blades. Combined, mine make a 1/4" dado, so who knows, it may work. Try it on scrap 1st. Oh, if you go with a full kerf saw blade, you may save some money by buying either 7 1/4" or 8 1/4" blades.

That is with both lnner and outer blades stacked on the arbor.
Just use one blade,either the inner or the outer.both have rakers for a flat bottom and should be .135 wide.The extra .010 won't hurt at all.

Jim

Comment

Thanks everyone for the replies. I have been working on putting the carcase together in the last few days and not focusing on the drawers. All good tips and suggestions. The easiest thing to try first is to use one blade of the dado set - if that works and the divider support sits tight then I will go with that solution.

Comment

Most of the blades that I've seen lately are the "thin-kerf" variety. If you can find a regular blade (non thin-kerf), they are usually right at 1/8 inch.

However, making a couple of passes with your current blade and using some kind of shim (as others have suggested) works great and doesn't bite into your budget. I also think it is the most efficient method.

I have used the router for this kind of thing, but prefer to first cut with the table saw in order to remove some stock and diminish the stress on the router bit. 1/8-inch straight bit on the router doesn't take a lot of stress before it is damaged/broken. Go too slow and it burns; too fast, it snaps. Clearing a path first, helps tremendously.

I've also found using a slot-cutter on the router table to good also. (If you have that capability.) If you need to cut deep, you shuold make a couple of passes though.

CWS

I have the Freud adjustable T&G bit set but unfortunately the groove bit start at 7/32 according to the specs so I would need to buy a suitable slot cutter to do this with a router.